Mop making machine



' Dec. 13, 19 0 J. c. CARPENTER ETAL 2,964,353 MOP MAKING MACHINE FiledOdt. 23 1959 4 Shets-Sheet THEODORE B ISHOF 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAMES C.CARPENTER HENRY W. McNELLEY,SR. BOOKER T. DAVID THEODORE BISHOFF J. C.CARPENTER EI'AL MOP MAKING MACHINE Dec.

Filed 001;. 23, 1959 Dec. 13, 1960 J. c':. CARPENTER ETAL v 2,954,353

. MOP MAKING MACHINE Filed 001;. 25. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 //4 INVENTORS//0 //2 JAMES c. CARPENTER FLUID K 4 MA HENRY w. McNELLEY,SR. SOURCE W yBOOKER 12 DAVID THEODORE BISHO Dec. 13, 1960 J. c. CARPENTER :rm.2,964,353

' MOP MAKING MACHINE Filed 001;. 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORSJAMES c. CARPENTER A HENRY w. McNELLEY,$R r; 1 E By HOOKER T. DAVIDTHEODORE BISHO F MOP MAKING MACHINE James 'C. Carpenter, Forest Park,Henry W. McNelley, S1'., and Booker T. David, Atlanta, Ga., and TheodoreBishoft', Washington, D.C., assignors to American Associated Companies,Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Oct. 23, 195 9, Ser. No.848,336

20 Claims. (Cl. 300-16) This invention relates to a machine for makingmop heads and more particularly to a power operated machine whichautomatically inserts a loop holding mop yarn into a ferrule and crimpsthe loop ends against the inside wall of the ferrule. A completed mop issubsequently easily formed by inserting a handle into the ferrule.

, Mops of this type, suitable for general purposes and particularlythose of sturdier construction suitable for use by roofers, havepreviously been made by hand or on crude mechanical machines involvingconsiderable and costly manual labor. In the instant invention a machineis provided which preferably utilizes fluid motors of the hydraulic orpneumatic type to greatly reduce the manual labor involved in theassembly, thereby reducing the time of the assembly operation byapproximately fifty percent and consequently reducing the cost ofmanufacture.

Accordingly it is a primary object of the invention to provide a machinefor automatically or semiautomatically assembling a mop head withattendant saving of labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop making machine whichwill considerably lessen the time for assembly of the mop and therebylessen the cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop making machinewhich operates by fluid pressure such as by hydraulic or pneumaticmeans.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine whichrepetitiously assembles mop heads, each assembly cycle resulting in auniform and standard product without the difierences entailed inassembly processes which are predominantly manual in nature.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mop makingmachine which is safe to operate and which lessens the chance of injurypresent in existing machines or in manual assembly.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbest be understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in'connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral figures and in which: a

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig. 1 but with partsbroken away to show the main cylinder of the machine lowered to pressthe mop material within the p; s Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevationsimilar to Fig. 3 but showing the vise jaws operated to pierce the loopends through the ferrule;

' operator.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a third stage of machineoperation in which a plunger crimps the loop ends against the insidewall of the ferrule;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower or ferrule clampingportion of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of the same lower portion of themachine shown in Fig. 6 with certain of the parts in elevation;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1 and looking in thedierction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1 and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a mop ferrule and loop;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of an assembled mop head;

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the hydraulic fluid lines and valvecontrols therefor; and,

Fig. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram of electric control means whichmay be added to the machine of Figs. 1-12 to make its operationcompletely automatic.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings a preferred embodimentof the machine of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1-12. Themachine comprises a table 10 mounted on suitable supports or legs, notshown, so as to present a convenient working surface for an Mounted onthe table is a vise generally indicated by the reference numeral 12 anda hydraulically operated cylinder assembly 14 which moves vertically toinsert the mop ferrule into the mop loop. The mop heads to be assembledare formed from three elements shown best in Figs. 10 and 11. Theseelements are; mop material 16 comprising strands of yarn usually ofdifferent lengths, a generally W-shaped loop 18 having sharpened orpointed extremities on inturned ends or prongs 20, and a cylindricalferrule 22 havingdiametri cally opposed openings 24 for reception of anail or other securing means for the mop handle not shown.

The vise 12 comprises a pair of open ended chambers 24 fixedly securedto the table 10 by any suitable means. One method of securementutilizing flanged plates 26 and screws 28, is shown in Fig. 8. The fixedchambers 24' are in alignment and separated by a space 30 which admitspassage of the lower and ferrule carrying end of the cylinder assembly14, within each chamber 24 is slideably mounted a plate or jaw 32. Thejaws are biased outwardly and away from each other by a pair of springs34. The jaws 32v are operable to move toward each other, guided by thewalls of chambers 24', by means of fluid cylinders 36 housing pistons 38which are connected to the jaws 32 by rods 40. Feed lines 42 feed thehydraulic fluid both into and out of the cylinders 36.

The ferrule holding cylinder assembly 14 is supported for verticalmovement into the vise space 30 by a fixed piston 44 secured to ahorizontal arm 46 extending forwardly from a standard 48 at the rear oftable 10. A vertical guide rod 50 is also fixed to and depends from thearm 46. The cylinder 14 carires a rearwardly extending arm 52 having anopening 54 which slideably receives the guide arm 50. These partscooperate to limit the movement of cylinder 14 to a vertical path.

I The cylinder assembly 14 comprises a first, or upper, cylinder 56 anda second, or lower, cylinder 58 joined together in alignment by acoupling 60. A fluid line 62 is coupled to an inlet tube 64 at the upperclosed end of cylinder 56. The fluid line 66 is similarly connected tothe inlet tube 68 which extends from the coupling 60 at the lower end ofcylinder 56. A fluid feed line 72 is also connected to an opening 70 incoupling 60 which communicates with the upper interior end of cylinder58. A piston 73 rides within cylinder 58. The lower end of piston 73 isreduced in diameter to provide an extension 74 which strikes and bendsthe ends 20 of the mop loop against the walls of the ferrule as will bemore fully explained hereinafter.

The ferrule 22 to be assembled is clamped to the bottom of cylinder 58and in axial alignment therewith. The mechanism for accomplishingthisfunction comprises a collar 76 secured about the upper end ofcylinder 58. To this collar is secured a bracket 78 having outwardlyextending diametrically opposed triangular shaped extremities each ofwhich is pierced by a pivot bolt 80. Pivoted at one end to each bolt 80is a clamping arm 82 which is thus free to move its lower end outwardlyand inwardly with respect to cylinder 58. The lower ends of the clamparms 82 carry detents 84 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as being screws havingpin extensions at their inner ends adapted to enter the openings 24 in aferrule 22. For operating the clamp arms 82 a disc 86 is mounted on anaxle 88 carried by collar 76. Joined to both disc and axle is a lever 90for turning the disc. A pair of openings, preferably diametricallyaligned and near the periphery of the disc 86, is provided each holepivotally receiving a bent end of one of a pair of stiff rods 92. Theother ends of the rods 92 are bent, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, andpivotally received in apertures intermediate the ends of the clamp arms82. It will be thus apparent that the lower ends of arms 82 may bereadily moved outwardly and separated to receive a ferrule by movinglever 90 to turn the disc 86 counterclockwise in Fig. 6. Moving thelever and disc clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 6 will move thelower ends of arms 82 inwardly and engage the detents 84 in the ferruleopenings 24. When thus clamped, the ferrule 22 is firmly held abuttingthe lower end of cylinder 58 from which it may not be dislodged exceptpurposely because of the substantially vertical alignment of theopenings in disc 86 which locks the rods 92 and arms 82 againstdisplacement by vertical pressures and movement of cylinder 58. Tofurther insure against dislodgement of the ferrule a pair of coilsprings 99 is placed on pins 94 to urge the arms 82 inwardly.

The pistons 73 are provided with outwardly extending headed pins 94which are preferably threadedly secured to the pistons. The pins 94 arefree to move with the piston, sliding in a pair of vertical slots 96 inthe wall of cylinder 58 and an aligned pair of slots 98 in the clamparms 82. A pair of books 102 is welded or otherwise secured to the uppersurface of collar 76 and coil springs 100 are each attached at one endto a hook 102 and at the other end to a pin 94. The springs 100 thusbias the piston 73 to its upper position, shown in Fig. 7, but thepiston is free to move downwardly with pins 94 riding in slots 96 and 98when so motivated by admission of fluid under pressure to the upper endof cylinder 58.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 12 it will be noted that valves, valvelevers and a source of fluid under pressure together with theirconnections are diagrammed. The master valve 114 is located in thegeneral area shown in broken lines at the right hand front corner of themachine table in Fig. 2. Also conveniently disposed for operation arethe valve levers 104, 106' and 108 at the rear right corner of themachine table. These levers are mechanical in operation between on andoff positions and may be easily moved by an operators finger to turn thevalves 104, 106 and108 respectively which are located in the broken linearea 105. The valve levers 104, 106' and 108' are purposely placed offset from each other in a diagonal line so that they may be quicklyflicked in sequence by one finger of the operator. At the end of anassembly operation all three may be simultaneously moved to their offposition by the hand of the operator.

In Fig. 12 the valves 104, 106, and 108 are shown in their off positionswherein the machine elements are ready to begin an assembly operation.In this position valve 104 admits fluid under pressure from the fluidsource 110, through line 112, the open master valve 114, line 116 andline 62 to the upper end of cylinder 56 which maintains the cylinderassembly 14 in its elevated position. Simultaneously the off position ofvalve 106 exhausts fluid from cylinders 36 through lines 42 to thereturn line 122 partially shown, and the off position of valve 108exhausts fluid from cylinder 58 through line 72' to the return line 120.When lever 104 is moved to turn valve 104 approximately clockwise asviewed in Fig. 12, fluid is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 56through line 66 and exhausted from the upper end so that the cylindermoves downwardly with respect to the fixed piston 44. Similarly whenlever 106' is moved to turn valve 106, clockwise fluid is admittedthrough lines 116 and 42 to cylinders 36 and thus move the vise jaws 32toward each other. Movement of lever 108' to rotate valve 108 clockwiseadmits fluid to the upper part of cylinder 58 to move piston 73downwardly. Return of the levers 104', 106' and 108 to their originaloff positions returns the machine elements by fluid pressure to theirinitial starting positions.

In operation of the machine, an operator moves lever 90 to spread thearms 82; positions a ferrule 22 against the lower edge of cylinder 58,and clamps the ferrule in this position by returning lever 90 to itslocked position illustrated in Fig. 6. A loop 18 is then dropped intothe space 30 with its spread, inturned ends 20 held by the walls ofchambers 24' and the edges of movable jaws 32, see Fig. 1. Next theoperator places the mop material 16 on the table 10 with the centralportions of the yarn disposed within the loop 18 as best illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2. Having thus been manually loaded, the machine is ready tooperate. The operator then in quick succession movesvalve levers 104',106' and 108 forwardly,v which is downwardly as viewed in Fig. 2, timinghis control actions to allow the few seconds required by the machine toperform each resultant movement of the assembly operation. As previouslydescribed in connection with Fig. 12, the opening of valve 104 lowersthe cylinder assembly 14 to insert the ferrule 22 between the spreadends of loop 18 and compress the mop material tightly within the loop asshown in Fig. 3. The opening of valve 106 admits fluid to cylinders 36which forces the vise jaws 32 toward each other compressing the loop 18and causing its sharpened ends to pierce the ferrule wall as shown inFig. 4. The opening of valve 108 admits fluid to cylinder 58 whichforces piston 73 downwardly so that the piston projection 74 strikes theends of the loop and bends them against the inside wall of the ferruleas illustrated in Fig. 5. This of course locks the mop head elementsfirmly together to complete the assembly. The operator then moves thethree valve levers 104, 106' and 108' to close the valves, which admitsfluid to the top of cylinder 56 raising the assembly 14 to its initialposition and exhausts fluid from cylinders 36 and 58 allowing thesprings 34 and to return the jaws 32 and piston 73 to their startingpositions. The operator then operates lever 90 to release the clampingarms 82 and removes the assembled mop head. The entire cycle may then berepeated as described to assemble another mop head. The assembly cycletakes about thirty seconds, or approximately half the time required onexisting machines which are not hydraulically operated.

Even more time may be saved by converting the machine to provideforfully automatic operation by the addition of electric controls tooperate the hydraulic valves. A preferred circuit for accomplishing thisis shown in Fig. 13. Each of the valve levers 104', 106', and 108' isbiased to off position by a spring and pivotally connected at 138 to theplunger of the respective solenoid 134, 146 and 158. A conventional pushto start switch 126 is placed in the power lead 124 and paralleled bythe contacts of holding relay 128. Thus when switch 126 is pushed andreleased by the operator a circuit is momentarily made from line 124,through switch 126, through the coil of relay 128, through-conductor 129and norr mallyclosed switch 1601 the return power line 142. The contactsof relay 128 close and remain closedto energize solenoid 134 throughconductors 124, 130, 132, 136 and 142. The attraction of the solenoidplunger moves lever 104' against the bias of spring 140 to its onposition, opening valve, 104 and admitting fluid to cylinder 56 to lowerthe cylinder assembly 14 as previously described. When the cylinder 56reaches the limit of its downward movement switch 144 is made toenergize solenoid 146 through the circuit 124, 130, 145, the solenoidcoil, switch 144 and conductors 148, 156 and 142. The switch 144 may beplaced as convenient to be operated by any'part of cylinder assembly 14.In Fig. 13 the switch has been diagrammed as being operated by arm 52 inmoving downwardly as indicated in broken lines, and for this purpose theswitch is preferably mounted near the lower end of rod 50, Fig. 1. Theoperation of solenoid 146 moves lever 106' and admits fluid to cylinders36 to operate the vise jaws 32. Upon completion of movement of the pawsa switch actuator 151, which may be carried by a jaw or a piston 38 orplaced in the path of one of these parts closes the switch 152 toenergize solenoid 158 through the parallel solenoid circuit includingconductor 150, the solenoid coil, switch 152 and conductor 154.Energization of solenoid 158 moves lever 108' to open valve 108 andlower the piston 73 in cylinder 58. When the piston reaches the limit ofits down ward travel a switch actuator 162 opens switch 160 deenergizingrelay 128 and solenoids 134, 146 and 158. As indicated in the lower lefthand portion of Fig. 13 the switch actuator 162 is operated by one ofthe pins 94 and for this purpose the switch 160 may be convenientlymounted in or near the bottom of one of the slots 96, 98. Thedeenergization of the solenoids allows springs 140 to return the valvearms and valves to their off positions, elevating the cylinder assembly14. Thus the machine automatically assembles the mop head and returnsthe machine parts to initial positions ready for the operator to releasethe assembled mop head and load the machine for another operation cycle.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownand described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof arepossible insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spiritof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for assembling a mop head comprising a vise for holding awire loop having inturned sharp ends and in which the mop material islaid, a first means for inserting a ferrule between the ends of the wireloop and for pressing the ferrule against the mop material, a secondmeans for moving the jaws of the vise toward each other to pierce theloop ends through said ferrule and a third means carried by said firstmeans for bending the wire loop ends against the inner wall of saidferrule.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said first, second and thirdmeans are each operated by fluid motors.

3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein said fluid motors are providedwith valves and separate manual controls, said controls being placedclose to each other so as to be operable in sequence by the fingers ofone hand of an operator.

4. A machine according to claim 2 wherein each of said first, second andthird means includes resilient biasing elements for returning therespective means to their initial starting positions after a mop head isassembled.

5. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said vise comprises a pair ofopen ended chambers spaced apart approximately the diameter of saidferrule, said loop being retained by the walls of said chambers with themop material lying across the loop in the space between the chambers,and a jaw slideably mounted in each of said chambers, said jaws uponmovement toward each other being adapted to squeeze the loop.

' 6; A machine according .to claim 5 wherein said jaws are biased apartby resilient means and said second means includes a fluid motor andcontrols for moving said jaws toward each other against the force ofsaid biasing resilient means.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said fluid motor includes apair of fluid cylinders in alignment with each other and said jaws andpositioned outwardly of the jaws, a piston in each cylinder and a rodconnecting each jaw to one of said pistons.

8. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises amovable cylinder, means for releasably attaching a ferrule at one end ofsaid cylinder, a fixed piston in said cylinder, and means for admittingand exhausting fluid at the cylinder ends, whereby the cylinder carryingthe ferrule may be moved to press the ferrule against the mop material.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said cylinder is additionallyprovided with a second cylinder aligned therewith and between theferrule and the supporting end of said first cylinder, a second pistonmovable in said second cylinder, said second piston having an inwardlyreduced portion adapted to enter into said ferrule and bend the loopends protruding therein, and means for admitting and exhausting fluid tosaid second cylinder to move said second piston.

10. A machine according to claim 9 wherein said means for supporting theferrule comprises a pair of pivoted arms on the outside of said secondcylinder, a lever operated cam to move said arms outwardly to admit theferrule and inwardly to grasp the ferrule, and detent means on the endof said arms adapted to latch and hold the ferrule.

11. A machine according to claim 10 wherein said pivoted arms are eachprovided with a longitudinal slot, said second cylinder being alsoformed with a pair of slots in the wall thereof aligned with the slotsin said arms, pins extending through said slots and secured to saidsecond piston, and resilient means for biasing said pins toward thefirst cylinder.

12. A machine according to claim 11 wherein is additionally providedresilient means biasing the unpivoted ends of said pair of arms towardeach other.

13. A machine according to claim 12 wherein said resilient means forbiasing the pivoted arms comprises a pair of coil springs mounted onsaid pins outwardly of said arms and held between said arms and headedportions of said pins.

14. A machine according to claim 10 wherein said lever operated cammeans comprises a disc having openings near the periphery thereof, saiddiscs being adapted to be turned by said lever, a pair of bent rods eachpivoted at one end to an intermediate portion of said arms, the otherend of each of said rods being pivotally secured in an opening of saiddisc.

15. A machine according to claim 2 wherein said fluid motors areprovided with valves and electric control means for moving said valvesto operate said first, second and third means in sequence.

16. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said fluid motors areprovided with valves and electric control means for moving said valvesto operate said first, second and third means in sequence followed byreturn of said means to their initial starting state.

17. A machine according to claim 16 wherein said electric control meanscomprises first, second and third solenoids for operating said valves, astarting switch for energizing the first solenoid, switches operated bymovements of said first, second and third means to energize the secondand third solenoids in appropriate time delay sequence and to deenergizeall of said solenoids upon completion of the assembly sequence.

18. A machine according to claim 17 wherein said electric control meansfurther comprises a relay whose contacts are connected in parallel withthose of the starting switch and whose coil is connected as a holdingcircuit to'retain the relay contacts closed upon energization oftherelay by closing of the starting switch.

'19. An apparatus for assembling a mop head from a ferrule, a loop, andcord strands, comprising a frame, a bed on the lower portion of theframe, an anvil on the bed, means for holding and bending a loop mountedon the bed adjacent the anvil, plunger means on said frame opposite theanvil and mounted for movement toward and away from the anvil, a clampfor engaging and retaining a ferrule on the lower end of said plunger,crimping means on the end of said plunger for crimping the ends of aloopafter the loop ends have been caused to penetrate the ferrule by theloop holding and bending means.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 comprising a control arm for actuatingeach means, with the arms assembled at a station near the operator andaligned in oblique fashion with respect to the operator so the arms maybe conveniently actuated one at a time.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,247,675 Harr Nov. 27, 1917 1,765,769 Mueller June 24, 1930 1,882,605Horsley Oct. 11, 1932

